44 A NATURALIST IN WESTERN CHINA 



dense, much-branched head ; it makes a tree 40 to 50 feet 

 high with a trunk 5 to 10 feet in girth, and, save for its smaller 

 stature, very strongly resembles the European Beech. The 

 second species, which is the recognized Chinese Beech, grows 

 much taller, but never attains the girth of the other. It 

 generally has six to twelve trunks, averaging 2 to 5 feet in girth, 

 arising closely together and slanting away from one another 

 as they grow. The bark is light grey and the leaves sub- 

 glaucous and hairy below ; branches somewhat ascending 

 but with the young branchlets slender and pendulous. A 

 local name for the Beech is ' Peh Litzu.' Small plants are 

 common, but no flowers are to be discovered.^ 



" In the shade of trees, Ribes longer acemosum, var. Wilsonii, 

 a remarkable black currant, with racemes i to i^ feet long, is 

 common, whilst Rodgersia cBsculifolia, with large, erect, thyrsoid 

 panicles of white flowers, is rampant. 



" Five species of Oak — three deciduous and two evergreen 

 occur. Meliosma Veitchiorum and many species of Pomacece 

 and Cherries are common, whilst the Varnish tree is every- 

 where abundant. In dense shade various evergreen Barberries 

 occur, and in open country Neillia sinensis forms dense thickets. 



" Of Conifers, Pinus Armandi and P. Henry i are scattered 

 over the cliffs ; Picea Wilsonii and a flat-leaved Spruce (P. 

 pachyclada) are rare, whilst the Hemlock Spruce ^ is fairly 

 common on the cliffs — neat, dense trees of no great size with 

 their young leaves just unfolding and old cones abundant. 

 The White Pine (P. Armandi) is more common higher up on 

 the mountains ; with its long needles, graceful port, and light 

 grey bark this tree is strikingly handsome ; the cones are 

 pendulous, borne at the ends of the glabrous branches. The 

 very resinous wood is used locally for torches, burning with a 

 clear, bright flame, and gives a good light." 



'In 1 910 I succeeded in introducing young plants of both species into 

 the Arnold Arboretum from this region. 

 - Tsuga chinensis. 



